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$1 Million Bequest: The Legacy of Charles S. Sutton ‘31 and Edna M. Sutton and Their Enduring Impact on Tower Hill’s Financial Assistance Program

By Julie Goldston, Advancement Operations Manager
This article appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of the Tower Hill Bulletin

Colonel Charles “Charlie” S. Sutton ‘31 passed away shortly after New Year’s on Jan. 1, 1997, at the age of 83. After his passing, Charlie’s wife, Edna M. Sutton, wanted to honor his wish and bequested $1 million to Tower Hill to establish the Charles S. Sutton ‘31 Memorial Scholarship Fund, providing academic scholarships for students otherwise unable to attend the school. After Mrs. Sutton passed away on Oct. 11, 2016, the school received this exceptional gift. 
 
The Sutton Fund is especially significant given Tower Hill’s impact on Col. Sutton, who came to Tower Hill in 1921 on a financial scholarship. After graduating in 1931, he attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He joined the Mathematics Department at The Citadel (Charleston, South Carolina) in 1940, leaving 1944-1946 for a brief sabbatical at the University of Delaware as a research assistant in chemical engineering, and retired in 1978 from The Citadel becoming professor emeritus until his passing. He was also a member of the American Mathematical Society for 59 years.
 
According to Mr. and Mrs. Sutton’s niece, Nancy White, Charlie was raised by his mother in Wilmington. He was a brilliant man and could have pursued any number of careers, but he chose to be a math professor and share his knowledge and change the lives of the students he taught. 
 
“They were very private individuals and I am not surprised that they did not notify Tower Hill of their intentions prior to their passing. It says so much about the impact the school had on his life and he was forever grateful for the generous financial assistance that enabled him to attend Tower Hill,” White said. “Their legacy will live on through their generous commitment to Tower Hill and the access to a great Tower Hill education that they have granted to many.”
 
We are so grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Sutton for their foresight and extraordinary generosity to Tower Hill. Their gift will have a significant and ongoing impact on the School and countless families and students.
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